tbzmedTabriz University of Medical SciencesJARCMJournal of Analytical Research in Clinical MedicineOriginal ArticleJournal of Analytical Research in Clinical MedicineAssociation of systemic lupus erythematosus activity with serum levelsof sTWEAK and CD160: A cross-sectional studyActivity of SLE and sTWEAK as well as CD160 levelsHajialiloMehrzad , Ghorbani HaghjoAmir , DarbandiHaleh , Karkon ShayanSepideh, Karkon ShayanFaridMedical Philosophy and History Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran, Medical Philosophy and History Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran820183182018632312018Tabriz University of Medical Sciences2018Association of systemic lupus erythematosus activity with serum levelsof sTWEAK and CD160: A cross-sectional study

Introduction: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a relatively
common disease among the patients referred to the rheumatology clinics. Tumor
necrosis factor (TNF)-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK), as a cytokine, is
a member of TNF family, and CD160 is an essential natural killer (NK) cell
activator, both of which have been argued to be associated with SLE activity.
Here, we aimed to evaluate the serum levels of sTWEAK and CD160 and their
association with SLE activity.
Methods: In a
descriptive cross-sectional study, 48 patients with SLE, as the case group, and
40 healthy subjects, as controls, were enrolled. SLE activity was assessed
using SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) in the case group. Moreover, the
serum levels of sTWEAK and CD160 were determined using enzyme linked
immunosorbent assays (ELISA) method in both groups.
Results: Mean serum level of sTWEAK was
19.09% lower in the control group compared to the case group (730.15 &plusmn; 170.21
pg/ml vs. 895.39 &plusmn; 451.25 pg/ml, respectively). Further, mean serum level of
CD160 was 47.31% lower in the healthy subjects than that of SLE patients
(206.16 &plusmn; 88.97 pg/ml vs 391.30 &plusmn; 283.46 pg/ml, respectively). The differences
in both occasions were found to be significant (P = 0.013 and P =0.001, respectively).
Mean SLEDAI in the patients was 8.68 &plusmn; 4.00. There was no significant
correlation between serum levels of sTWEAK and CD160 with SLE activity.
Conclusion:
The serum levels of sTWEAK and CD160 markers
in patients with SLE are significantly higher than those of healthy subjects.
However, we found no correlation of these markers with the disease activity.